Honors College

The Honors College offers distinctive learning opportunities for students with excellent academic promise by way of special courses, colloquia, seminars, and independent study. The curriculum is interdisciplinary in nature, consisting of courses that link issues and themes from a variety of modes of inquiry. Honors professors often invite guest speakers to furnish additional perspectives on topics under study.

Students in the Honors College complete a core of six Honors courses that can also meet requirements in the University Core Curriculum. The core includes inquiries in contemporary American civilization, global studies, science, and a three-term integrated exploration of the major intellectual, artistic, and cultural achievements of humankind. Honors core courses may be taken during any year of study.

All incoming students enroll in the Freshman Seminar in their first semester. This seminar provides an orientation to the Honors College and the university experience, and is guided by an upper-division Honors College student mentor. After the freshman year, students may enroll in Honors colloquia. Each Honors student takes at least two colloquia during their undergraduate studies. These colloquia are developed by Honors faculty members to focus on special topics, creative connections, or critical issues in their areas of expertise. As a senior, each student completes an individual inquiry or creative project under the guidance of a professor selected by the student.

Throughout their four years, Honors students have ready access to their Honors advisor, who helps to identify one’s academic goals and offers continual guidance from freshman orientation through graduation. Honors students may apply for the Undergraduate Fellows competition, which awards stipends for independent work with a faculty mentor. Honors students are strongly encouraged to pursue short- or long-term study abroad experiences and major post-graduate fellowship opportunities. Any undergraduate student may also earn “Departmental Honors” in their major, as determined by the major department and coordinated by the Honors College.

Applications for admission to the Honors College are reviewed by the Honors College following the applicant’s admission to Ball State University. The Honors College considers the strength of the high school curriculum (including the Indiana Academic Honors Diploma or equivalent curriculum and value-added experiences such as AP, IB or other special academic courses), extracurricular activities and leadership experiences, letters of reference from teachers familiar with the student’s potential for college academic work, and standardized test scores. Students admitted to the Honors College must make regular progress in the Honors curriculum: students’ grade-point averages must be at least 3.0 at the end of the freshman year and 3.15 at the end of the sophomore year; students should complete at least one Honors core course by the end of the first year; students should complete at least three Honors core courses by the end of the second year. In order to graduate with an Honors diploma, students must complete the Honors curriculum and finish with a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.33.

Transfer students are also welcome to request admission to the Honors College. Transfer students should contact the dean of the Honors College directly, preferably by e-mail.

For more information, contact the dean of the Honors College via e-mail (honors@bsu.edu) or phone, 765-285-1024, or explore the Honors College web site.

100 Freshman Seminar (1)
Orientation to Honors College and the college experience, guided by an upper-division Honors College student. Discussion of the common freshman reader. Introduction to university and Honors College resources, policies, and expectations. Development of major-specific curriculum plans. Offered credit/no credit only. Open only to freshman Honors College students.

189 Inquiries in Global Studies (3)
Interdisciplinary exploration of the commonalities and diversities in global culture, economy, history, politics, and society; emphasizes the non-European, non-North American world. Open only to Honors College students.

199 Inquiries in Contemporary American Civilization (3)
Interdisciplinary exploration of one or more critical issues that confront the modern United States, such as race, poverty, education, or family. Open only to Honors College students.

201 Inquiries in the Ancient World (3)
Interdisciplinary exploration of the foundations of Western Tradition in the Ancient World, through their major intellectual, artistic, and cultural achievements. Incorporates the breadth of the humanities (e.g., literature, philosophy, and the fine arts). Open only to Honors College students.

202 Inquiries in the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Enlightenment (3)
Interdisciplinary exploration of major intellectual, artistic, and cultural achievements of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Enlightenment. Incorporates the breadth of the humanities (e.g., literature, philosophy, and the fine arts). Open only to Honors College students.

203 Inquiries in the Nineteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-first Centuries (3)
Interdisciplinary exploration of major intellectual, artistic, and cultural achievements of the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries. Incorporates the breadth of the humanities (e.g., literature, philosophy, and the fine arts). Prerequisite: HONR 201 or 202. Open only to Honors College students.

296 Inquiries in the Physical Sciences (3)
Study of introductory principles within the physical sciences, emphasizing the relationships of the sciences to human concerns and society. Study of social and ethical consequences of scientific discoveries and their applications to critical issues confronting contemporary society. Open only to Honors College students.

297 Inquiries in the Earth Sciences (3)
Study of introductory principles within the earth sciences, emphasizing the relationships of the sciences to human concerns and society. Study of social and ethical consequences of scientific discoveries and their applications to critical issues confronting contemporary society. Open only to Honors College students.

298 Inquiries in the Life Sciences (3)
Study of introductory principles within the life sciences, emphasizing the relationships of the sciences to human concerns and society. Study of social and ethical consequences of scientific discoveries and their applications to critical issues confronting contemporary society. Open only to Honors College students.

299X Inquiries in Special Topics (0-6)
Exploration of special topics relevant to Honors learning. Titles will be announced before each semester. May be repeated for different topics. Prerequisite: permission of the dean of the Honors College.
A total of 99 credits may be earned, but no more than 6 in any one semester or term. Open only to Honors College students.

300 Leadership Seminar (0-1)
Development of communication, leadership, and facilitation skills; exploration of relevant documents and additional resources. Offered credit/no credit only. Prerequisite: permission of the dean of the Honors College.
A total of 4 credits may be earned, but no more than 1 in any one semester or term. Open only to Honors College sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

310 Honors Foreign Study (1-18)
Study in a foreign country appropriate to Honors learning. Course work undertaken at institutions of higher learning in other countries is granted Ball State University Honors College credit. Prerequisite: permission of the dean of the Honors College.
A total of 99 credits may be earned, but no more than 18 in any one semester or term. Open only to Honors College students accepted in a Ball State exchange or study abroad program.

350 Medallion Scholar Special Study (1-15)
Supervised independent or interdisciplinary study designed to meet the goals of an approved Medallion Scholar program of study. Prerequisite: permission of the dean of the Honors College.
A total of 15 credits may be earned. Open only to approved Medallion Scholars.

369 Honors Professional Experience (1-6)
Paid supervised work and learning experience related to honors education. Prerequisite: permission of the dean of the Honors College.
A total of 6 credits may be earned. Open only to Honors College students.

390 Honors Colloquium (1-6)
Exploration of selected issues that explore a single topic in depth or connect subjects or disciplines. Emphasis is on discussion, individual projects, and ways of combining information from several sources. May be repeated for different topics. Prerequisite: permission of the dean of the Honors College.
A total of 99 credits may be earned, but no more than 6 in any one semester or term. Open only to Honors College students who have completed at least two of HONR 189, 199, 201, 202, 203, 296, 297, 298.

400 Honors Candidate (0)
May be taken each semester by honors candidates who have already registered in previous semesters for all of their undergraduate course work, including HONR 499, but have not yet completed their senior honors projects. Students enrolled in this course are entitled to ordinary undergraduate student use of library, health, and other university facilities. Prerequisite: HONR 499. Open only to Honors College students.

450 Medallion Scholar Advanced Study (1-9)
Supervised advanced independent or interdisciplinary study designed to meet the goals of an approved Medallion Scholar program of study. Prerequisite: permission of the dean of the Honors College.
A total of 9 credits may be earned. Open only to approved Medallion Scholars.

479 Honors Practical Experience (1-6)
Unpaid supervised work and learning experience related to Honors education. Prerequisite: permission of the dean of the Honors College.
A total of 6 credits may be earned. Open only to Honors College students.

490 Independent Study or Research (1-3)
Independent study with an individual instructor on topics not currently available in the curriculum or engage in further study or research on topics arising from previous work. Prerequisite: 9 credits in HONR or permission of the dean of the Honors College.
A total of 6 credits may be earned, but no more than 3 in any one semester or term. Open only to Honors College students.

499 Senior Honors Project (3)
An inquiry or creative project whose culmination includes an honors paper, prepared in accordance with accepted standards of documentation and presentation and supervised by a faculty member. Prerequisite: permission of the dean of the Honors College. Open only to Honors College seniors and those students completing the requirements for departmental honors.